Hibbert helps U21s win again

Michael Kenrick , 15 April, 17comments | Jump to most recent

Middlesbrough U21s 1 - 2 Everton U21s

Tony Hibbert made another big step to full recovery after his long absence this season with a calf injury, helping the Everton U21 side to a an impressive 2-1 win at Middlesbrough, who took the lead early in the first half. Matt Kennedy equalized before Apostolos Vellios fired them ahead from the penalty spot in the second half.

The hosts took an early lead after two minutes as Fewster capitalised on a mistake from Springthorpe. Springthorpe then made amends with a superb save, diving to his right and tipping Park's 25-yard free-kick over the bar for a corner

Kennedy mades it 1-1 with a clever flick from close range following a cross from the right after 30 minutes. At the other end, Springthorpe produced a great save to tip Sirrell's left-foot effort over the bar.

Everton started the second half well. Hibbert and Vellios combine before Long's low shot is well saved by Ripley. Vellios then scored from the penalty spot to put the Blues ahead after Sirrell had handled inside the area.

Everton U21s: Springthorpe, Hibbert, Garbutt, Junior, Stones; Browning, Long, Grant; Vellios, Hope, Kennedy.
Subs: Griffiths, Hammar, Molyneux, Pennington, Waring.

Reader Comments (17)

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Chris Keightley
1 Posted 15/04/2013 at 15:14:58

What does Vellios have to do to make our bench ???

Graham Mockford
2 Posted 15/04/2013 at 15:19:18

We now need to take 6 points from our final 3 games to guarantee a play off game for the semi finals of the new U21 competition.
Encouraging form from the team after a poor start to the season which has now seen us go 13 games unbeaten since the middle of November.

James Flynn
3 Posted 15/04/2013 at 16:13:55

The Kennedy kid again. Does he look like he might amount to something? Sure seems to know how to find the back of the net.

Phil Brown
4 Posted 15/04/2013 at 18:31:44

Problem is that he's overly one-footed and would be quickly sussed out in the Prem.

Mark Frere
5 Posted 15/04/2013 at 18:29:57

Has anyone got any feedback on how young John Stones is playing? Does he look ready for the first team yet?

Phil Sammon
6 Posted 15/04/2013 at 19:21:32

Phil Brown

What?!

Overly one footed like Baines, Distin, Coleman, Pienaar, Osman, Jelavic etc etc etc

Rob Jones
7 Posted 15/04/2013 at 19:38:36

....and Maradona

Phil Walling
8 Posted 15/04/2013 at 19:32:09

Call me a cynic if you will but I suspect only one of that team will see first team duty next season: Tony Hibbert.

Stones will be on loan at Barnsley and Vellios will be back in the country of his birth.

We don`t play kids at Everton.

Richard Dodd
9 Posted 15/04/2013 at 19:57:42

You`re a cynic, Wally. But you are probably right!

Sam Hoare
10 Posted 15/04/2013 at 20:04:21

I think Junior has a chance of appearing in the first team next season and possibly stones at some point.

Where is McAleny? Injured again?

Anthony Tully
11 Posted 15/04/2013 at 20:07:32

Who is this fellow VELLIOS? Eh, Mr Moyes?

Ben Jones
12 Posted 15/04/2013 at 21:05:22

Vellios nowhere near Jelavic and Anichebe.

Kennedy looks really promising though, hopefully he can get some action next season.

James Flynn
13 Posted 16/04/2013 at 00:11:03

I ask about Kennedy because he appears to be banging them in. He's one-footed seems to describe him same as most footballers. But how does he LOOK? Does anyone seen him play much think he might make something of himself?

Jimmy Sørheim
14 Posted 17/04/2013 at 11:18:04

Jelavic should be playing in the U21 side, it is crystal clear that he needs to build his confidence up. Also Vellios should take his place in the first team and come on as a sub. Vellios right now is in better form than Jelavic.

Sometimes it seems like Moyes does not pay attention to the U21 side, so when players such as McAleny do very well, it gets overlooked. I think it is a mistake of Moyes to not try McAleny more in the first team, as to me he is better than Barkley in an attacking midfielder position / striker.

The best performers in U21 should automatically get a chance to play in the first team, though they have to perform well over time in the U21 for that to happen. Moyes is too strict in not letting ANY of his U21 players into the first team. I think Moyes was so fed up with the Leeds loss that he just shut them out from then on.

We read about Moyes wanting to change the age factor in the first team — does he really think that can happen by ONLY buying players? The one area Moyes has failed the most this season is in trying out youngsters, it is very negative and gives us little hope of having more local young players in the first team.

I see Barkley is being tested lately, but it should have been done sooner, and against lesser teams such as Wigan, Reading, Norwich and so on. That way, Barkley would be much better suited to play against a top side like Arsenal. The only reason Moyes plays Barkley now is because he knows for sure Neville is leaving in the summer, so he is forced into trying to find an internal replacement for next season. Barkley is not a like-for-like replacement, but seems to be the only youngster Moyes is willing to play when he is forced to.

Colin Wainwright
15 Posted 17/04/2013 at 19:50:37

See the under 18's have just battered Utd 3-0. On some run, the young lads.

Steven Sturm
16 Posted 18/04/2013 at 14:21:41

Ok, I'm confused. How is Tony Hibbert able to play in a U21 side? Do the rules allow a certain number of older players?

Sam Hoare
17 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:45:03

Vellios has scored very few for the reserves this season. One penalty hardly has him knocking on the door to the first team. From what I've seen he's not doing nearly enough unlike Mcaleny who would very possibly be on our bench now if not injured.

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